Cats are Smarter than Dogs
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Here's What I Think!
Cats are far more independent and can take care of themselves better.
- Provide adequate food and water and a cat can be left home alone for a few days while you go on vacation. Dogs can't.
- Cats can be toilet trained.
- Dogs will take a command, cats do as "they" please.
- Cats give themselves a bath.
- Although a dog will offer you safety, a cat will protect itself.
So... What Do You Think?
Are cats really smarter?
I have stated my case for why I think cats are smarter than dogs, you may SPEAK here. Tell me if you agree or disagree and tell my why you feel that way.
This section is for comments only. You can leave a link to an online article or lens that proves your point in the plexo below.
This is an open debate and all comments pro or con are welcome. HOWEVER, this is a g-rated site and any and all profanity will be deleted immediately. That goes for both foul-mouthed dogs and cursing cats!
Cats are Smarter than Dogs
Fetching blurbs now... please stand byI agree, cats are smarter!
passionatehouseremodeler says:
Cats are smarter. They have a mind of their own, and don't take orders from humans.
Posted January 27, 2012
KokoTravel says:
Just like with people... you can't lump them all together and determine a correct answer here. My cats are extremely intelligent and I have put time into training them.
I had a dog that was also very intelligent and learned easily, but I put the effort into training her, too.
My answer? They all have potential that can be developed to bring out their intelligence.
Posted November 06, 2011
AsFarAsTheEagleFlies says:
I had a Daschund once when I was 7. Totally annoying! Licking was basically the only thing he could do on his own. I had to show him the "business" area outdoors everyday. Compared to my cats, he was a clown and they were diplomats
Posted November 04, 2011
linz457 says:
Absolutely! I agree because my cat Kimi (pictured in popart styley) can open double doors which lead into the kitchen. See it for yourself on her squidoo page :D
Posted October 24, 2011
Frankster says:
Cats most definitely. Cats come box trained -- mom's teach their kittens starting at about 3 weeks old. They don't eat poop whereas a dog will eat almost anything including poop.
Posted October 22, 2011
blanckj says:
My cat is definitely smarter than my dog was. She used to sneak up on the dog and swat her in the snout to get her to chase her. Unfortunately, she "appears" to be not as smart because she is cross-eyed and runs into furniture all the time. She is very sweet and I love her very dearly.
Posted August 10, 2011
DinaDLG says:
Both depend on us but only one treats us like they don't care. Takes a smart animal to know we'll do it anyway.
Posted July 08, 2011
CruiseReady says:
OH, Cats, by far! Walker, Florida Feline, says so!
While dogs can be taught simple commands, cats comprehend conversational English!
Posted February 17, 2011
saraih26 says:
I think cats don't want us to know how smart they really are....LOL It's their little secret ;)
Posted February 07, 2011
FillsHerTease says:
My IQ is in the 150's - which supposedly means I am highly intelligent and possibly even a genius according to some scales. However the fact of the matter is that intelligence is a very broad thing and IQ does not cover it all. I happen to be naturally good in mathematics and spatial relationships - which is the foundation of my high IQ scores - but I am a terrible painter and my social skills are naturally very poor. I have had to work very hard to learn social interaction. The point being that it is incredibly difficult to even measure one human's intelligence against another's, let alone trying to compare two different species - which is what we're trying to do here. I don't think this question can ever really be answered definitively but nonetheless it is an interesting discussion...
Just for the record I loved dogs when I was growing up and hated cats. However in my 20's I had a girlfriend who owned a cat and so for the first time I lived with one and had the chance to learn what cats are actually like. Now I love both cats and dogs - for completely different reasons - and so I think I have a fairly unbiased viewpoint from which to tackle this question. I had to pick one or the other to supply my opinion so I flipped a coin and cats won with tails - that's the only reason I have picked cats.
Before continuing I just want to dispel the myth that it has been proven scientifically that dogs are smarter than cats - or vice versa. It has not been proven one way or the other and there is not even a majority on either side. Some studies say it's dogs and some say it's cats. However for some strange reason it always seems to be dog supporters who claim that this matter has been proven. I'm not sure why, or what it means, but I think it tells us something more about humans than either cats or dogs!
Probably the biggest argument on the dog side is that dogs can be trained and cats can't. So whenever a dog lover makes this argument I immediately command them to "jump"! Invariably they don't jump (no one ever has), at which point I suggest that, using their own logic, they themselves are not as smart as a dog. If you command a dog to jump it will do so immediately (if it knows how), whilst a cat will not - meaning a cat's reaction is in fact a lot more like a human's. Having said that, a smart dog owner will respond by pointing out that the cat doesn't jump because it doesn't understand the command and can't be trained to do so. Which is a good point but it brings to light another common fallacy - the fact of the matter is that cats can be trained. I have a cat named 'Yoda' who comes when he is called, plays fetch and uses the toilet (amongst other things). Plenty of people take their cats for walks on a leash and in fact cats have been trained to do pretty much everything which dogs are trained to do. There are some exceptions of course. Someone on the dog side said that a cat could never be trained to lead a blind person and I think they're probably right. In response though I would say that not all dog breeds can be trained to do it either and I think that brings up another important point - that different breeds of dogs and cats have different attributes and levels of intelligence...
Yoda is a Devon Rex, which is a cat breed that is very much like a dog in many ways. I have had several of them and have friends who have owned a number of them too - the point being that I have had enough experience with them to know that Yoda is not an exception. Invariably they are incredibly friendly and, like a dog, want to be involved with what you're doing at all times. If you are watching TV your Devon Rex will be sitting there on your lap. If you get up to go to the kitchen or the bathroom they will follow you to find out what you're doing and to be involved. The point being that their behaviour is a lot more like dogs (in general) than cats and as a result I think it blows away a lot of the arguments on both sides of the equation.
A number of years ago some Russian scientists started an experiment to see whether foxes could be bred to co-exist with humans. They started with a number of breeding pairs and mated them. 1% of the offspring turned out to be passive towards humans so they bred those ones together and continued to follow this program. After only about three generations they had foxes which were very friendly towards humans and now, by the fiftieth generation, the results have been remarkable. Not only are the foxes a lot like dogs in temperament and behaviour but they have actually started to resemble dogs too - amongst other things their tails have grown shorter and curlier, their skull shapes have started to change, and even their coats have lightened and become more dog like. These changes are genetic because they have experimented with having a passive fox baby raised by a 'normal' aggressive fox adult, only to discover that the baby remains passive. They have also discovered that an aggressive fox will remain aggressive even when reared by a passive one. These experiments show that their nature is genetic, rather than being caused by upbringing. Just to prove this point more conclusively though, they actually took a passive embryo and implanted it in an aggressive female (and vice versa), the result being than passive foxes remained passive and aggressive ones remained aggressive.
The point of all this is to show that a lot of behaviour is genetic and doesn't necessarily reflect anything to do with intelligence. Dogs have been bred to help humans with various tasks such as hunting because they're larger and more suited to those tasks than cats. As a result they were bred to be trainable and that's why, generally speaking, dogs are easier to train than cats. On the other hand cats were also bred to help humans with various tasks but these were different - such as catching rats and mice (which was a lot more important at one stage not vey long ago). None of this has anything to do with intelligence though. Some breeds of cats, such as Yoda the Devon Rex, have been trained to be trainable and more dog like. Does this mean that Devon Rexes are more intelligent than other cats? Of course not! The breed has only existed for a very short while so it is preposterous to think that somehow their brains have been radically improved and their intelligence boosted to the level of dogs (assuming you believed that dogs were smarter than cats). All that has happened is that their genetics have been modified more towards the behaviour of dogs. The point being that the whole training thing is a behavioural trait, not one of intelligence.
Another total fallacy is that dogs are better communicators than cats. I used to think that too but having lived with a number of cats now I know that simply isn't true. The difference here is simply that cat communication is a lot more subtle than dog communication. When one dog meets another they will sniff one another, bark at each other, then start leaping about and playing, with one or the other usually being dominant (which is somehow worked out by them). It's all very obvious and humans are able to see it and understand it easily. When two cats meet they have their own method of sizing one another up which is just as complex. The only difference is that it is much more subtle and as a result it isn't as obvious to humans - and certainly not to people who haven't lived with cats. This goes for their communication with humans too. Once again dogs are very obvious and they don't leave much room for misunderstanding about what they want. However anyone who is close to a cat - yes, that's right, I said close to a cat - will tell you that their cat communicates with them just as much and just as clearly as a dog.
The last thing I want to mention is that it is also a fallacy that dogs are pack animals and cats aren't. Of course cats are pack animals - humans are pack animals too and cats have been living with us for thousands of years. Once again though the only difference is that many people don't understand the subtle ways which cats operate. A dog will have it's own territory which it marks with it's scent and which it will defend - that is something which humans understand. Cats will also defend their territory but the way cats do things is a bit different and more subtle. Cats actually have more of a time share arrangement going on. One cat will have it's own territory which it uses each morning - for example it might sleep on one end of the couch. If another cat tries to use that territory in the morning then the 'owner' cat will defend it. However in the afternoon the end of the couch may actually belong to another cat in the pack and that is perfectly fine. So once again cats actually just have a more subtle way of doing things and as such it isn't always obvious to humans. Dogs have territory marked by space alone whereas cats have territory marked in both space and time.
I could go on and on but I won't. The only conclusion I have been able to reach is that dogs and cats do things differently. There really is no compelling evidence that one species is smarter than the other. The differences are simply in behaviour and have nothing to do with intelligence. The more you look at this question with unbiased eyes the more you see that they both do the same things in different ways. They have been bred to perform different functions and that's all it is. It's easy to show that they can very quickly (i.e. in only a couple of generations) be bred to behave like one another and that is the strongest proof that in fact their intelligence levels are very even. Furthermore there are smart dogs and dumb dogs, just like there are smart cats and dumb cats. So even if it were true that dogs were more intelligent than cats, the range would still be small enough that a smart cat would be more intelligent than a dumb dogbane vice versa...
Ciao for now!
Posted February 07, 2011
AddaptAbilities says:
Cats are WAY smarter. That's why you can't teach them anything -- they already know it, and have decided it's boring.
Posted January 04, 2011
TWOnline2 says:
there is no such thing as to which is smarter. i have had both and i noticed that it just depends upon the personality..just like people. we had a cat that was dumber than a door knob but his sister was a genius who understood everthing just short of talking. another cat we had did talk words like momma and family member names. i believe that i did spell words around this one to keep things from him. finally he caught on to how to spell "fish". same for dogs. one (dufus) was so slow that i had to teach him how to jump into the car for traveling. The other was so smart she used to just sit and watch people so she could figure out who to manipulate and when. she was great. so for me it is a tie. it just depends upon the animal as an individual.
Posted December 13, 2010
pumpnut says:
My cat has got it made. She is smarter than me. Not to difficult but true.
Posted November 29, 2010
LifeSculptor says:
Any animal that can get it's food without having to do anything for it (maybe a miaow), demand affection and get it and survive with total independence (if necessary) has got to be more intelligent than an animal that barks at leaves blowing across the yard or eats poop.
Don't get me wrong, I love them both, I have 2 of each and whilst dogs are certainly clever in the sense of being able to be trained I think that true intelligence is not about that.
Posted November 23, 2010
trotter2099 says:
Cats are definately smarter than dogs. My mums cat used to ride around on the back of her neighbours poodle, she used to go into other peoples houses and steal their food. Once she even managed to drag a half cooked roast chicken to the doorstep of my mums house. The neighbour whose chicken it was luckily found it very funny that my mums cat had got in through the neighbours cat flap, opened the oven door and ran off with a whole chicken.
Posted October 28, 2010
DEVILfoxxxxx says:
cats rock my cat always listens to what i tell it to do unlike the dogs i have tried believe me its so annoying so definitely cats r smarter
Posted September 27, 2010
Jodi_k says:
Mine is learning French (he's reading French for Cats - yes, that's a real book).
Posted September 26, 2010
Jay says:
Dogs eat their own feces and they never shut up. They're so much dumber than cats that it angers me that anyone would think otherwise.
Posted September 26, 2010
lol says:
just read this... http://ezinearticles.com/?Are-Cats-Smarter-Than-Dogs?&id=411999
Posted September 21, 2010
Lizzy says:
Im 9, blaim my grandma :)
Posted September 20, 2010
Lizzy says:
Im a crazy cat luver and i think that catz rule in all ways. Doesnt mean that dog luvers r nutz. But its true,, u cant teach a cat tricks but i wouldnt say there smarter; id say there independant.
Posted September 20, 2010
Vladi says:
It's a scientific fact. Cats are infinitely superior - and I should know
Posted September 20, 2010
Cassie Wong says:
This is stupid. Comparing cats and dogs is like comparing men and women. There are too many variables and intelligence cannot be measured by simple concepts such as loyalty, independence or the willingness to obey rules.
Dogs are amazing learners, trackers, and they do indeed have larger brains, but BRAIN SIZE DOES NOT DETERMINE INTELLIGENCE. It is the brain MASS COMPARED TO BODY MASS. Dogs are also more social, yes, but that doesn't determine intelligence either. Are loners stupid? No.
I've read a lot of the dog section and the cat's, and both of their "arguments" are based on bias and statements that are blatantly false. For example:
yermum: "cats are obviously not as intelligent. it's silly that they even debate this. have you ever heard of a seeing eye cat? mmmm"
So, because there are no seeing-eye cats, that makes all cats stupid? mmmm-no.
myuz: "Dogs are annoying and up in your face all the time."
No, they aren't. Like all animals and humans, they can be sometimes.
SmartDog: "While a lazy cat will sit on its $&@ and won't be grateful for the food you give them, dogs are much more athletic, experimental, and loyal than cats."
No. Some cats are lazy, yes, and so are some dogs. Either way, it's not because they're lazy by nature, it's because their owners didn't teach them when they were younger to be active.
WindyWinters: "Dogs are great companions, too but are babies and tend to whine too much about everything!"
Again, they don't. Dogs whine as much as cats, babies, and humans whine.
Keep in mind when you judge cats that they are hunters in true nature and that reflects on everything that they are. If you say that cats are not loyal, then you have clearly never had a cat or never treated it well, because that would be the only reason you think nothing of their loyalty.
Studies that "examine" intelligence are neither reliable nor accurate so I recommend that you stay away from those. Intelligence is made up of many, many things and what humans perceive as intelligence cannot be applied to animals.
Side note: I chose cats but that was only becuase I had to choose SOMETHING. I owe it to my mini-tiger at home to at least pretend to take her side. If there was the option, I'd be neutral.
Posted September 14, 2010
kt_glasses says:
I love cats for their independence, and we get along more like friends.
Dogs are lovely, but they are really needy.
Posted September 14, 2010
Tim says:
Cat's Are smarter than dog's, Because the paragraph i just saw some Dr. type made no sence a cat and dog we're tested with physcological testing.
with string and food... 1 one the test was faulty cats don't eat bisquits dogs do and dogs eat anything.
i think its funny dogs can't hear as far and can't see as far as cats can't beat the physical standards either.
Posted September 09, 2010
coolguy says:
cats rock
Posted September 01, 2010
sammysue(: says:
KITTIES ARE SMARTICALER!!! :D
Posted August 29, 2010
David says:
I think cats are smarter. And commands???? psh. why do people think cats cant do them. Ha. When my cat is outside all we have to do it call their name and theyll come back. And cats do have VERY strong bonds. Before when we went on a month vacation. I thought she woulda went psycho and blast out the door. Because she was sitting there and the door was gaping open and she always stayed closeby to us for atleast 2 days after we got back. And When one of our household members are sick. Mine usually came up to us and just chill with us. And they sense bad weather as well as most animals and warn us. Especially during barbeque's lol. And i saw in comments below that cats dont have communications???? wth??? If you have ever kept cat siblings together. Or just families in general. Or raised together. They obviously hang together (talk) with eachother, hunt with eachother. and ofcourse: play with eachother. Cats very well can have great relationships; They just are arent really NEEDY for them, because they DO have them alot. Goodness. And yes... there have been indeed search cats. I have even done it lol. Give em a whiff, and they might just look for something for you lol. And fetch is fun to play with them toooo. Another reason why cats couldnt really lead someone is because they are small? I'm sure they could do it though. But anyways. Cats rule because they do all dogs do plus more. Just maybe if you're blind... you would probably want a dog though. But yeah, dogs are kewl too... i guess.
Posted August 24, 2010
cats rule says:
Actually, i have seen a cat guide someone! That cat had talent! dogs suck at guiding! you can train cats. They are smarter than pathetic dogs. It's just that so many people aren't realising just becaus they are dog lovers. I like dogs and yet i think cats are smarter. Dogs eat they're own shit. cat's don't. cats hunt,dogs don't. Also just to let you know my cat scared off 2 bloodhound's!!!!!!! they were whimpering in the vets corner !heheheheh....my cat has a vicious growl. get over it cat's rule dogs stink (literally)
Posted August 18, 2010
jacob says:
cats are smart no argument
Posted August 02, 2010
myuz says:
yes cats are smarter than dogs, cats are also smarter than the ignorant dog owners!! Dogs are annoying and up in your face all the time. Cats are calm and know when its appropriate to play and when to sit and relax with you. Dog owners are the needy type thats why they get along so well with dogs. You have to work hard and earn a cats love and attention. A dog is like a slobbery 3 year old whereas a cat is more like a suave sophisticated 35 year old gentleman. Cats clean themselves. Dogs are a mess and stink. Cats can hunt there own food. Dogs suck at hunting, all they can do is go fetch a dead bird. Cats can see at night, dogs sleep. Dogs are noisy and bark. Cats are quiet and meow. Dogs beg for attention. Cats ask politely. Dogs eat there own poop, cats bury theres. Time to wake up and face it, cats are possibly smarter, but definitely superior.
Posted August 02, 2010
helen says:
i agree with most of the above(or below) arguments but i have to disagree with some. 1. Cats CAN learn tricks with the right training they too can sit when told, lay down when told, and much more. 2. Cats (i think) aren't smarter because they are independent but, from personal experiece, cats can take care of them selfs better when alone for a longer peirod of time. 3. Have you ever seen a small dog as a service dog? have you ever seen a tiny pomerainian run in to a building on fire and drag someone out? I didnt think so. so i dont think this is a valid argument. 4. dogs are not "smarter" because they would stick by you if you were going to be killed that just means they are more loyal. this still doesnt prove they are smarter. 5. cats too listen to their names and repond when called. at least the mojority of cats i have seen do. 6. dog are NOT smarter because they please you. cats also please you. both animals COMFORT you when you are sad. Both animals know how to react when you speak to them. 7.afew people said something about the cat being lazy because they speep alot. well, as cats grow older with age they tend to sleep more(just like us or dogs) and when younger they tend to play more. so i do not beleve that this is a valid argument. 8. if your cat is fat... it your falt! you juve it too much food. so this is not even an argument. 9. i do agree that it is anoying if a cat pees on you furnature but this doesnt mean the cat is dumb. the cat is marking its teritory and telling other animals "this is my home and not yours... if you step here i'm your master" i personaly think that this proves they are smarter because they know how to tell others this is my teritory. dogs dont do this but that doesnt mean they are dumber. 10. things like cleaning them selfs, potty training. not really valid arguments. both dogs and cats can do these things. there are many other points to make but , from personal experiece, i think cats are smarter. they may not be as "fun" as dogs but they can sence your feelings just a tad but more than dogs. the feelings dogs can sence strongest are happy sad and mad. cats on the other hand almost connect with your spirit. cats can sence the total veriaty of feeling and they know what to do. dogs... happy= jump and lick. sad (if big) = sit by your feet. mad=go to other room or curl up in corner watching you. cats. happy= sit on your lap and purr(yes not as exciting as dogs but still exciting does nessaraly mean smarter) sad= walk over to you and rub against you almost saying whats wrong mad=stay away! scared= alot of cats sit by your side and watch for moving objects. suprized=again rub your leg with their body. confused=sit and watch you. there is a whole veriaty of things but feel free to argue or agree with this comment.
Posted July 25, 2010
outside the box thinker says:
Dogs are smarter because they love me? No. That makes them compassionate. And my cat loves me. he can sense when I am sad and he will come and cuddle with me to lift my spirits.Dogs do all those jobs. because their size and design allow them to. my cat is about the size of shitzu. why aren't shitzus seeing- eye dogs or fire dogs...? because they are too small. And as far as cats protecting humans. well when was the last time a shitzu or poodle was used as a guard dog...? never. because? you guessed it. their size and design are not suitable for it.Oh well dogs like water. Because their size and design are better suited for swimming than most cats. But my dog does what I tell him to. so? that just proves you are smarter than the dog not that the dog is smarter than the cat. Educated people will see when they are being controlled to much and object to the control where as uneducated people will not think beyond the box they are put in. why is that different for animals? But dogs are loyal. yes dangerously so. If you beat a dog they will come back to beatin again. but a cat... well he will leave your butt if you mistreat him because he knows he doesn't have to put up with it. Dogs have masters. Cats have staff. Oh and your little baited string test... Cats naturally chase string because they naturally chase pray with tales. They are not thinking about the treat they only are thinking about the string. Doesn't make the dog smarter? no it just means dogs think with their stomachs.
Posted July 25, 2010
WindyWinters says:
Cats are smarter and more independent than dogs. Cats can take care of themselves for a weekend while a dog has to go to a neighbor or a kennel. Dogs are great companions, too but are babies and tend to whine too much about everything!
Posted July 24, 2010
stephen says:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RqvjKBjrPcA
Posted July 22, 2010
Guineapig_lover:D says:
Cats are smarter. People think dogs are much smarter simply because they please them-just try to please people. Cats are intelligent by nature to be independent and realise that themselves matter, not just people.
Posted July 11, 2010
Ace28 says:
If you love dogs, You might as well own a slave to obey every command you say,. Except we don't live in the 1700, 1800 hundreds. It tells me what kind of a person you are. Feel better about your self. Intelligent People own cats. That is a fact. Independent cats are indeed smart you have to be on your toes to see what move it makes. Keeps you thinking
Posted July 06, 2010
No way, dogs rule in the brain department!
Shanz98 says:
You are wrong!! Can cats perform tricks? Were cats created to help us and work? No dogs are smarter!
Posted January 02, 2012
MJsConsignments says:
"Most" dogs are smarter than cats. I'm a pug owner though. They're not known for super intelligence so that's why I say most.
Posted November 25, 2011
EMangl says:
not an easy decision but i think dogs are smarter in terms of using their brain; dogs are more like men, logical thinking while cats can be false and moody like women
Posted November 24, 2011
MarcelWhite says:
I believe dogs are smarter because I know a guy that claims that his dog is smarter than he is. No one claims such thing about a cat.
Posted October 16, 2011
pheonix76 says:
Dogs are certainly smarter in my opinion! Social animals are often more intelligent because they need to deal with potential group conflicts and dynamics. The cat is an oddity in the domesticated animal world in that it is virtually un-trainable. Dogs can assist humans in so many ways: search and rescue, seeing eye dogs, drug/bomb sniffing, etc.
Posted June 06, 2011
jaye5500 says:
There was actually a debate on this? lol!! I thought it was obvious DOGS are smarter?
Posted May 08, 2011
DaddyGee says:
If you had a kid that hid behind the sofa and wouldn't come out would you think it was smarter than a kid that engaged in society?
Posted April 06, 2011
corphis says:
Dogs have aided humans in many tasks: detecting drugs and bombs, catching suspects, war (e.g. German Shepherds), security, hunting, locating lost or injured people, aiding those with certain disabilities, and simply providing good companionship. Dogs will keep your feet warm at night, let you know when someone's at your door, and greet you with as much enthusiasm as they can muster when you come home. Cats are cool animals, but dogs are better pets and partners.
Posted November 30, 2010
catherinelovestv says:
Cats are lazier than dogs, dogs will work hard for your affection, cats just seem to do what they want
Posted September 24, 2010
says:
Dogs are best and there is no way you can even begin to compare these animals.
Posted September 17, 2010
happynutritionist says:
Again I have to say, if I haven't said it before, that I may be a little biased because I have a dog now, I want to think that dogs are smarter. Cats are crafty little things, though, so I am not 100% sure:-) I've owned both.
Posted September 14, 2010
CL says:
Those are all instinctive actions. Those do not require intelligence. Would you say a 4 year old kid is dumber than a cat? They can't do any of those things mentioned either.
Posted September 02, 2010
john says:
cats smart? independent? please whoa cats can groom themselves, be "independent", you still have to take it to the vet, feed it, come on. Studies show dogs are more intelligent. Dogs are pact animals who depend on one another which makes them willing to learn. I HAVE NEVER SEEN A "WORK" CAT, CATS ARENT SMART ENOUGH TO LEARN "REACTIONS" WHICH IS WHY THEY ARE NOT SMARTER
Posted August 05, 2010
teems says:
first off, dogs are pact animals, thats why they "depend" on a leader, being toilet doesn't make one intelligent, dogs can be trained to do way more than being toilet trained, have you ever seen a cat guiding a blind person?
Posted August 05, 2010
Sam Sheldon says:
Unfornunatly there is no longer any enjoyment in this subject it is now proven that dogs are substantialy smarter then cats, and for pretty much all of the reasons stated sbove, but not quite looked at in the right way.......... Cats need to be independent because they arnt clever enough to grasp the concept of what we are trying to teach them. A dog can also very quickly be trained to look after itself in the house (in same cases up to several weeks, learning how to feed itself, with the help of a few clever inventions a cat would never learn) Cats do as "they" please because they arnt clever enough to identify even the most simple and repititious of human speech I.E Commands. A dog is clever enough to protect its owner whereas a cat wouldnt even know anything was going on until it stood on its tail.
All in all, cats are all show... they cant comprehend simple tasks or problems... they are incapible of understanding (or even acknowledging) speech or commands. Dogs master these issues very quickly in the right hands. So in answer to the topic, NO... Cats are not smarter, people just think they are because of the way they behave, when in reality its the ONLY way they know how to behave. Cats still rule though :-)
Posted August 04, 2010
mik says:
i think dogs r smarter because they listen to their names and listen to commands after all dogs used to be indapendant and used to be wild in a way they r as smart as each other and besides if u have 1 cat or 1 dog on its own it will rely on u so it cant copy any thing so i think tht it really is just how u raise them/it
Posted July 22, 2010
Bella says:
Those of you using the pack statement need to look at your lives. HUMANS are pack creatures. We live in families, rely on others for nurishment, work together. We ARE pack animals. We learn from eachother. Dogs have a complex communication system.
Dogs will use eachother to learn just as humans do. Cats are unwilling to learn. Any intelligent human will tell you that the willingness to learn is far superior to a creature that is supposedly smart on its own.
Pack animals through history have shown that they have a stronger ability and will to survive. There are far more solitary animals to become extinct than pack animals and most pack animals were extinct due to human hunting.
Also, to Brandon, Scientists have not proven that cats are smarter. I want to know where that evidence came from because I make a career out of studying animals and have never heard any evidence of this sort.
Most arguments on this board for dogs actually have evidence of dogs being smarter due to a higher understanding of vocabulary, being pack animals (which science has shown are more intelligent than solitary), sniffing cancer, willingness to learn.
The only real arguments for cats is that they are cute, dont protect people, can open the fridge (my dogs can too as well as my cats), purr at the door(which my dogs ring bells when the want to do it), and can be trained to use a toilet (which is more difficult becasue most dogs are too big and the ones who are small enough dont have the body capabilities that make it so much easier for cats.
Posted July 15, 2010
Linkers says:
Independence does not mean smarter. In fact, if you look at some humans you will even say the independent ones are the more idiotic ones.
You can leave dogs alone for a few days. Dogs can be trained to use litter boxes just like cats. Ive seen many dogs use them and owners leave out food and water and go on vacation.
Toilet training is more of a fact that dogs bodies dont allow them to easily use a toilet.
Why does doing as you please make you smart? Dogs are loyal and take commands because making us happy makes them happy. I dont see how this makes either species dumber or smarter than the other.
Dogs give themselves baths too. Cats have a different coat that makes it easier but many dogs such as malamutes can go their whole life with no baths. Just simply bathing themselves. Once again does not show any sign of intelligence.
The fact that a dog will protect you and a cat wont does not show intelligence. A dog will protect you as well as itself while a cat wont. Would you call your husband stupid if he left you alone to die while he protected himself? I am sure you would.
Posted July 15, 2010
aaron prater says:
i agree dogs will save your life cats will take off runing i cant stand them i have a thirty pound cat and it uses the bathroom in my bedroom and gets my gf's step brothers dog in trouble so dogs are way more dependable
Posted July 10, 2010
Catsuck says:
are u carzy dog will save ur life cats will watch u die
Posted June 04, 2010
mole says:
even if cats are smarter for the reasons you just gave me they definitely don't sound as friendly, loving or loyal as dogs.
Posted May 30, 2010
clearly says:
there's just nothing going on behind cats eyes compared to dogs. the relationships dogs have with humans is also a lot more complex. cats can't develop that type of connection and communication
Posted May 02, 2010
yermum says:
cats are obviously not as intelligent. it's silly that they even debate this. have you ever heard of a seeing eye cat? mmmm
Posted May 02, 2010
Smart Dog says:
Have you ever heard of a bomb-sniffing cat? Or a seeing-eye cat? Or a search-and-rescue cat? Dogs are much smarter and a lot more beneficial to society. Good point, Tim.
Posted April 26, 2010
Smart Dog says:
Dogs have more emotional development and experiment more than cats. While a lazy cat will sit on its $&@ and won't be grateful for the food you give them, dogs are much more athletic, experimental, and loyal than cats.
Are cats more independent? Ummm...why does that make them "smarter"?
Every being needs simple food and water. You have no evidence of what you're saying.
Dogs actually listen to commands because they understand who's keeping them alive, unlike stupid cats.
Dogs give themselves a bath as well.
Yeah, cats ARE so selfish prissies who offer you nothing but cost and food.
Dogs drool--why?: they don't have sweat glands, and plus: their saliva actually helps wounds. Dogs eat poop..why?: Cos you need to give that dog real fresh meat.
Cats are lazy.
Posted April 26, 2010
david says:
dogs are far superior than cats
Posted April 21, 2010
Kitty says:
Cats look like idiots chasing around the red dot from a laser pointer. Dogs are smart enough to not do that.
Posted April 20, 2010
asdf says:
Cats are mental cases. They have OCD (obsessive compulsive disorder) - that's why you always see them obsessively cleaning themselves.
Posted April 20, 2010
spindolly says:
Different hygiene instincts do not equal intelligence-only difference in species. Cats are just not my kind of companion animal. who wants an animal that would run away to another owner if he/she gave it food. I think they resemble rats and climb all over counters(yuck). Hate cats, should be lab rat substitutes
Posted April 09, 2010
Tim says:
Have you ever heard of a bomb-sniffing cat? Or a seeing-eye cat? Or a search-and-rescue cat? Dogs are much smarter and a lot more beneficial to society.
Posted March 29, 2010
mike says:
Everything you listed is also true of hamsters XD - except maybe toilet training, although considering that cats continue to piss on everything after their trained sinks that argument for you. This is some great uneducated speculation, thanks for continuing to make the rest of humanity look smarter!
Posted March 21, 2010
Byjove says:
That's because cats evolved to be solitary, whereas dogs are more sociable. In the long run, social animals are a lot more enduring than solitary animals. By the way, dogs CAN be potty trained.
Posted March 16, 2010
Soul says:
if you ask a cat to find a drug dealer what do you think it would do?
if you ask a cat to find the missing body of a murder victim what do you think it would do?
if you ask a cat to find THE MURDERER what do you think it would do?
if you ask a cat to play and have fun with you what do you think it would do?
if you ask a cat to come to the park with you and spent some time with him what do you think it would do?
Independence (cats) is only good for the lazy, irresponsible and those who just have little happiness in there lives.
also a comment below by "Iz" half of what she had said is bullsh!t, because cats do not have to have a similar neural pattern to the primate because primates can analyse situations similar to which of a dog, meanwhile the cats has a very shocking deficiency to understand the basic of situations, for example research "cat & dog string test". just to finish that off due to there irregular size and structural differences cat posses no anthropomorphic attributes to the primate nor human.
where did you get your sources from "Iz"? besides, because thats exactly what we need in a sustainable society, a no good thief who takes and takes from humans and gives nothing back!!! dogs on the other hand are actually useful.
Posted March 13, 2010
D-RoCk says:
Thats a load if i ever read one. Dogs are loyal and awsome. Plus it all depends on the type of dog u get. If they are mentally challenged then maybe a cat would be smater but other than that i seriously dobt that any cat is smarter than a dog.
Posted February 25, 2010
aspcacatdoglover says:
dogs i have a cat there more smart ok ther same but dogs here i will tell you pros and cons pros:they protive they love pepole they lick you come to you when sad alos they have lots of jobs poice dogs, miltary dogs ,sled dogs ,service dogs , thrpay dogs ,distare search dogs ,thrpay dogs ,fire dogs , water sarch dogs snow sarch dogs wildres seach dogs secrtiy dogs medical dective dogs serzure alert dogs cons have walk ever y day whrn go they destory the hose will ea t any thing if not traied wll if a long g=harid dog like poodle or husky it take time brush themcts have and cons too pros:they sleep in your lap easy to take care of if mice or small animals it will kill it they are freindly pepole when intor to pepolr at young age then like pepole when you come they run and rub againt you cons:they bite
Posted February 23, 2010
stew says:
well,come to think of it,guess that dogs are smarter.Becuase always in t.v shows it says "dogs this,dogs htat dogs whatever.I have 2 cats.They don't really do anything.All they do is sleep.
Posted February 22, 2010
Paabo says:
I've got both a cat and a dog, and I can tell you, cats are retarded. My dog is brilliant. Just because dogs are not as agile or quick as a cat, it's stupider? I think not. Cat lovers are delusional if they think they own their cat, and not the other way around.
Posted February 10, 2010
some dude says:
cats are wired to be solitairy predators, dogs are pack hunters. do not confuse this with intelligence. your statements simply do not support this...
Posted February 06, 2010
brian says:
i could not be dropped off in a jungle and expect to live with out my cellphone, grocery store, knife ect... i am so used to driving my car to get food from a store ect.... you couldnt either with out proper training. thats because i have been domesticated into the electricty/computer world. i am used to all these things. so you are saying a cat is smarter than me cause it is independent and could live on its own? its the same way with dogs... we have taken them out of the wild. i am MUCH smarter than a cat, but if you took away giant eagle,walmart, my chevy, electricty ect... i would not be able to live in the wild. i would probably eat a berry that would kill me.
Posted February 06, 2010
brian says:
your reasons are terrible. cats being more independent does not make it smarter. rat,turtle,bird,ferret,hamster ect.., are all independent. EVERY animal with adequate food and water will live. why wouldnt animals live without food or water? um cats doing as the please makes them smarter? so people that are mentaly challenged are smarter than normal people? mentally challenged people do what they want. also it is much smarter to do things and get a reward then NOT TO DO anything. you said a cat will protect itself? name one animal or insect that doesnt protect itself. alot of animals bathe and thats not smart thats instinct. cats dont "learn" to give a bath. cats do not care about its owner. NOT ONE PUBLISHED STUDY HAS EVER SAID A CAT IS SMARTER. also i can say dogs can save lives (house fires,snow storms etc...) chase bad guys(police dogs) guide blind people, sniff out bombs, sniff out some cancer in humans, play fetch, come when i call its name, over 300 words in vocabulary, learn from trial and error, process of elmination (look it up) i will explain a little about that in a test they had a dog that knew the names of its toys. about 25 toys (and one toy the dog has never seen before) (teddy bear, ball, frisbie ect...) all in one room. they said the name of the toy that the dog didnt know and it grabbed it and brought it to its owner. it can get the mail, grab you a beer (check youtube.)you can point at something and it knows that you are giving it advice,it can detect moods, pretty much endless amount of things. what can you say your cat can do? climb a tree and get stuck ummm chase a feather. the only thing i hear about cats is they are so cute...is it because they are so stupid and incapable of doing anything that the sight of a fly makes cats go crazy? they sleep more than they are awake and moving. they sleep about 13-16 hours a day.. cats only come to you when it benifts the cat. cats are worthless. they are nothing more than a decoration.
Posted February 06, 2010
jakealoo says:
It really depends on the type of dog. I have a standard poodle and he is freakishly smart.
Posted February 03, 2010
A smart person!!! says:
Cats ar not smarter than dogs. its you cat lovers saying cats are smartest. have you ever heard of a police cat. dogs are trying to protect the pack.
You can have fun with dogs.
now i have a jack russell terrier and she is so smart, she can open doors too! to be honest i think cats are ugly.
Posted January 26, 2010
crosscreations says:
Dogs can be trained. Cats cannot. Dogs are loyal to people. Cats are just territorial. Dogs are protective. Cats don't give a rip. Cats are OK but dogs are clearly the smarter animal.
Posted January 25, 2010
aruveen. says:
let me tell somthing to all of you cat lovers... this may sound heartbreaking..
but CATS are dumb..
everyone knows that..
first of all,you claim that cats can take care of themselves?
we are talking about smartness here..
all cats do is lick themselves all the time.. doesnt mean they wont start to stink in a week or so...
DOGS can be toilet trained way faster than cats..
dogs can understand upto 300 words used by their owner..
what do you mean a cat does as it pleases?? its just an excuse you give for a DUMB animal..
DOgs are eager to learn.. and help humans.. they are loyal... doesnt mean that their DUMB..
Dogs lead the blind.. they can sniff drugs.. they can save people who are drowning.. they can retrieve things..
a CAT doesnt really care about you..he's just there for your food..
try starving the cat for 4 to 5 days..
he'll go off to look for his own food..
or probably go to someone elses' house..
is that what a smart creature does..
DOGS are smart enough to know that when they protect their owners... their food and shelter is guaranteed..
cats can never learn anything..
Intelligence is judged by how a creature learns something quickly and solves problems..
CATS only learn where the food is..
DOGS have been bred to herd cattle,guard property,as companions..
just because the CATS are so carefree and vain and dont need alot of care.. doesnt mean their smart..
they are the dumbest things that lurk the planet..
Posted December 14, 2009
Hal says:
i don't thin that cats are smarter because they are "independent". The fact that dogs move in packs show that they have more complex social skills and a very organized social structure. Still, there are both smart and dumb dogs and smart and dumb cats. Yes, dogs learn through training, but then so do the dolphins, and they are way more intelligent that cats & dogs.
Posted December 07, 2009
VirpZ says:
Dogs need more space, more food etc, you can't say that cats are smarter I have a rotweiller that is not the smarter dog but he killed 40 cats already so cats are dumb. No, I never trainned my dog to kill cats, only humans that invaded our territory
Posted November 27, 2009
N3z1yn says:
This is not true. I have a dog and a cat and they are both too smart for their own good for example my cat will open the trash door so the dog can unleash her rage on the apartment, mind you they only do this when we have left to quickly or they are stressed. My dog does tricks but my cat doesn't because I just don't take the time. My cat and dog kno when I'm sad or angry and they both comfort me in the cutest ways too. My cat knew how to use the kitty box with out training, my dog knows how to wipe her paws after she goes out side. My dog figured out how to roll down the window in my car now she taps it when she wants it down more to let me know to unlock the safety. My cat will respond by meowing when she wants anything my dog shows me because she knows she is not allowed to bark inside unless Its a warning. My cat will eat by her self and my dog will pick her food and eat with people she'll even hide her food for later. My dog memorized what time I get up so she knows when to get off the couch and not get caught, my cat scratches the sofa when she's not getting enough attention. My cat will stay away from new people so she doesn't get snatched up, my dog will investigate until she knows I'm safe. My dog will also let me know if some one is near us outside in the dark. She can hear both me and my husband's trucks pull in the parking lot and she'll wait to greet us. The cat also waits with the dog. My cat will go every where with me and she cries if i take her big dog away and veseversa. My animals are both smart I've meet other animals that had shit for brains. The smarter they are the more trouble they will be! And since I can not pick neautral I will have to pick dogs since this topic is about how cats are smart and dogs are not which is not true because they both are smart in many different ways.
Posted October 28, 2009
Is Your Cat a Lefty Or a Righty?
Which paw does your cat favor?
However, these preferences only manifest when cats perform particularly dexterous feats. That's for the same reason we can open a door with either arm, yet struggle to write legibly with our non-dominant hand. "The more complex and challenging [the task], the more likely we're going to see true handedness," Wells says.
She and Millsopp tasked 42 domestic cats to ferret out a bit of tuna in a jar too small for their heads. Among 21 females, all but one favoured the right paw across dozens of trials, while 20 out of 21 males preferentially used the left. One male proved ambidextrous.
continue reading:
- Source: Is your cat left or right pawed? - life - 24 July 2009 - New Scientist
- Is your cat left or right pawed? - life - 24 July 2009 - New Scientist
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Human owned by 3 cats.
Feb 12, 2012 @ 1:16 am | delete
- I happen to prefer cats to dogs for a number of reasons, but I will admit that dogs AND cats are smarter than humans.
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grannysage
Feb 9, 2012 @ 3:49 am | delete
- Well this certainly stirred up a heated debate. But there is only one right answer. I asked my two cats, Wiley and Lady Ghost, what they thought. They looked at me as if I were stupid. Cats, of course. Why do you even bother to ask.
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passionatehouseremodeler
Jan 27, 2012 @ 11:35 pm | delete
- Fun lens! I love my cats! They are independent and very smart. One of them speaks to me with his very expressive eyes. The other is very verbal, and we have conversations.
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Lindrus
Jan 26, 2012 @ 12:46 pm | delete
- Totally agree that cats are smarter! Like your lens!
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josie
Dec 8, 2011 @ 8:30 pm | delete
- this is something i learned cats are leaders dogs are followers and leaders ARE SMARTER!!!!!!!!!! leaders (which are cats) make their own choices and are independent it`s better to make your own choices then follow someone around and do the EXACT same thing as them (which dogs do). here is a saying. cats rule and dogs drool think hard isn`t it true if you think it`s false think harder, cats can also open boxes doors etc. some cats have amazing stories such as dewey the library cat and leo the maginficat. have you ever heard of a dog that lived in a church or library.dewey was one of the worlds most famous cat. still don`t beleive here is some more reasons.
–According to researchers, the feline has 300 million neutrons in its cortex, the “thinking part” of the brain. The canine, just 160 million.
–The cat brain and the human brain are much alike. Scientists at Tufts University School of Veterinary Medicine say cats and humans have the same kind of lobes in the cerebral cortex and the feline brain and the human brain function similarly, conveying data via many identical neurotransmitters.
And now for a less scientific fact:
–To do their business, dogs depend on humans to walk them. Cats, on the other hand, can learn how to pad into the bathroom and use the toilet. Furthermore, some feline fans claim their genius kitties have learned how to flush. (I must admit that my cats have never mastered this –but they are great with the litter pan and are smart enough not to use it if the thing is dirty. They sit and stare at it. Then they stare at me until I get the message. Pretty intelligent.
How are “cat smarts” defined by the experts?
Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia, defines cat intelligence as the capacity for thinking, problem solving and reasoning. Intelligence also is measured by the ability to develop and use tools, learn new behavior and apply previously acquired knowledge. The bathroom/toilet business previously mentioned is just one example of the cat’s amazing ability to figure things out and learn new behavior. Here’s another: My big black cat, Tony, quickly learned how to open a big wardrobe closet by using tools (paws and claws) to work on the door and pulling . So, I secured the handle with a big bow. Tony watched. Tony reasoned. A little later, I saw him stand on his hind legs, grab one end of the bow and untie it.
I also have watched my cats figure out how to retrieve things from difficult to reach places. If one method fails, they don’t keep doing it, they learn from experience and try something else. Then if everything their furry heads can think up fails, they’re smart enough to meow at me to step in and help.
Intelligent felines are very successful at training their owners. My Gatito, for instance, has taught me to play fetch with him by dropping a small ball at my feet and staring up at me so sweetly that I just have to toss it for him to retrieve. Missy has trained me to sit down on the couch with her whenever she meows in a certain way and glances over her shoulder as if to say, “Time to pet me.” Of course, to be honest, I don’t know if Missy would take to jumping through a hoop like a talented circus dog , not even if I offered her a treat as a reward. But that doesn’t prove she isn’t smart. Hey, she knows she will get the treat anyway. So, why put forth the effort? Better to just sit down, purr and wash
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Robin Svedi is a Community Organizer and the QuestMaster for Squidoo. You can keep up with her at rms on Squidoo. She's also the author of Eye Popping... more »
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